[US] Microsoft Salary Guidelines Leaked

The tech industry is highly coveted for its impressive perks and high salaries. Recently, a leak of Microsoft’s salary guidelines has provided a rare insight into the company’s compensation structure, as reported by MSN.

Business Insider obtained the leaked salary data, revealing ranges for base pay, annual stock awards, and hiring bonuses. The data showed that Microsoft, like many other major companies, offers higher salaries to employees in cities like San Francisco and New York compared to those in less expensive locations.

The highest salary recorded was $361,500, accompanied by annual stock awards of around $1 million and a hiring bonus of $1.2 million. On the lower end, the smallest salary was $42,500, with no additional compensation.

According to Insider, Microsoft ranks employee seniority using a level system, ranging from level 52 to level 70 in the leaked data. However, it is noted that level 70 is not the highest possible rank within the company.

Generally, a “principal” might start at level 65, a “partner” at level 68, a “distinguished engineer” at level 70, and a “technical fellow” (a high-ranking executive) could be at level 80.

Some specific salary ranges from the leaked data include:

Highest Levels:

• Level 70:
  • Base pay: $231,700 to $361,500
  • On-hire stock awards: $310,000 (default) to $1.2 million (with approval)
  • Annual stock award range: $0 to $945,000
• Level 69:
  • Base pay: $202,400 to $316,000
  • On-hire stock awards: $235,000 (default) to $1.1 million (with approval)
  • Annual stock award range: $0 to $750,000
• Level 68:
  • Base pay: $186,200 to $291,000
  • On-hire stock awards: $177,000 (default) to $1 million (with approval)
  • Annual stock award range: $0 to $490,600

Lowest Levels:

• Level 54:
  • Base pay: $51,600 to $67,000
  • On-hire stock awards: N/A
  • Annual stock award range: “By career stage”
• Level 53:
  • Base pay: $46,600 to $59,700
  • On-hire stock awards: N/A
  • Annual stock award range: “By career stage”
• Level 52:
  • Base pay: $42,500 to $54,600
  • On-hire stock awards: N/A
  • Annual stock award range: “By career stage”

The complete list of salary ranges is available here.

Source: MSN (via Business Insider)